Index device



Dec. 29, 1931. LE ROI E HUTCHINGS 1,338,531

INDEX DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1926 Inveni'or .Ze Poi K /u z fi Patented Dec. 29, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ,"Lano r. nurcnrnesor nnrtrard nnw Yonx, assrenon, sY M'ESNE Assremnrs, r nnmnoronnmn mo, era-aw roax, N. r, a conromrron or nmwm Y application ma August 34, me. Serial No. 181,187.

' This invention relates to index devices and has reference more particularly to' index devicesoilthe vertical visible t such as that 1;; showni'nmyco pnding app cation, Serial lime- 2 259? i v [An object of this invention is to provide a my cplis ruction which will be sim 1e to operate anddurable over along peri' of time.

p Another object of m invention is to provide an end construction for a tray of the type above mentioned which will be inexpen-' sive to manufacture; also to, improve index devices in; other respects hereinafter specified n c a d-L 1 1 A. 16 Reference" is to be had to the accompanying drawinfisf forming a'part of this specification,

3mg. is a'persipective view of my im- ,jpro'ved index devices, I I, 2e" Figif2 is a transverse x sectional elevation g t edqv c a "Fig". 13 is' a fragmentary corner elevation showing the swinging support arrangement, Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional, fragmentary view through oneof the frames supporting theiseparator cards, j t

Fig; '5is a vertical sectional elevation showing'the improved catch mechanism on the ,line555 oiFig.3, q I 30 -1Fig.= Bis a p an viewshowing the swingshowmgj-the tray construction at the connection forjthe swinging sup rt mem r, and,

used in connection with the follower member. I Referring to the drawings by numerals, IO'indicat'es the bottom of the file tray, which has upstandi sides 11 and 12 along each longitudinal thereof." End members 13 are formed by upwardly extending sections on the members of the bottom 10,-the ends 13 being considerabl less in height than the side 11, Adjacentt e inner junction of the bottom, 10 with the side 12, a U-shaped member 14 is secu'red' inside the tray in an suitable way such as byspot welding. eupper leg '15 of the channel 14 is narrower than *Fi 8 is a perspective vlgwjbf the follower:

the bottom leg 16 of said channel and forms a channel with the bottom 10 for the reception of frame bearings 17.

A similar U-shaped channel 18 is secured to the inside of the tray at the inner junction of bottom 10 and side 11. The upper leg 19 of the channel 18 is narrower than the lower leg 20 of said channel and said lower leg may be secured to the bottom 10 by s 0t welding. The channel le 19 is considera 1y wider than the channel de and is also adapted to serve as a rail or-the reception of frame bearings 21.

In order to resiliently and detachably maintain the bearings 17 and 21 under their respective rails 15 and 19, Iprovide a U- shaped follower member 22 of suitable width, that the legs of same will be slidabl received between the legs .19 and o the channel 18. The legs of the channel 22 are preferably turned outwardly and a flat spring 23 of wave-like sha e is itioned in the space formed by the c anne s 22 and 18 so that said spring normally tends to move the channel 22 to the left as seen in Fig. 2

against the'ends of bearings 21.

The bearings 17 and 21 are cylindrical in shape and aresecured to the ends of a sheet metal roll 24 formed on the bottom of a frame member 25. The construction of the frame ini s p 1;, y V member 25 has been explainedinthe descrip ig; is -fragmentaryperspective view tion of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 14 of the above mentioned ap lication. Its structure includes an inwardly turned flange 26 along each vertical edge of said frame, be-

7, j ing adapted toengage the ends of separator Fig-'9 isaperspective view of thespring onv the upper edge of record cards "34 to be visible through said transparent sheaths. vIt

is thus seen that the separator cards'28 form a series of vertical pockets for receiving the record cards 34. The frame members 25 are so held by their bearings 17 and 21, that they are pivotally connected to the bottom 10 of the tray, thus permitting them to be tilted back and forth at an angle to the vertical. I provide a hinged end wall or end member 35 on each end of the tray 10 for supporting the frames 25 in vertical or inclined position, a hinge 36 being formed at the bottom of said hinged end wall 35 said hinge cooperating with hinge 37' formed on' the upper edge of end walls 13 to pivotally connect said hinged walls 35 to said end walls 13. Any

suitable way may be used to detachably main-' tain the hinged end walls 35 in vertical position as shown in Fig. 3 or in inclined position as shown in Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, this hinged end wall supporting arrangement consist of a U-shaped swinging member 38 having legs 39- terminating at their free ends in inwardly extending pivot hooks 40. The hooks are adapted to engage under the corner of a U-shaped stiffening wire 41 formed around the ends and tops of the side walls 11. The metal of the side wall 11 is preferably formed into an inwardly extending pivot bearing 42 adapted to pivotally receive the hooks 40. 1

The swinging members 38 are of slightly greater width than the hinged end walls 35 so that said hinge frames are received between the legs 39. Slide bearings 43 are preferably attached to the outer surface'of hinged end walls 35 such as by rivets 44. The slide bearings 43 have stop shoulders 45which are adapted to engagethe swinging member '38 in its lowermost position so as to limit the outward movement of the hinged Iendwall 35. It will be seen in Fig. 1 that the entire structure is very rigid since the swinging member 38 and its arms 39 form a continuousreinforcement with wire 41 around the upper edge of the tray when the hinged end walls 35 are tilted outwardly to permit reference to the record cards 34.

In the top of each hinged end wall 35 I preferably provide an opening 46 having a smooth surface at its top formed by a roll 47 being formed at the upper edge of the hinged end wall 35. A similar roll 48 is formed at the bottom of the hand opening 46 and a hinge wire or rod 49 passes through the roll 48. Intermediate its ends, the roll 48 is cut away so that a catch 50having a hinge bearing 51 may be pivotally mounted on the rod 49. The catch 50 'is in the form of a lever having its upper arm 52 extending into the hand opening 46in convenient position for manual actuation. The lower arm the catch '50 outwardly,the"latter then dropping by gravity again to a vertical position with the hook54 under the swinging mem- .ber 38. r

In'operation,--or when the filing device is in open position as shown in Fig. 1 the frames 25 may be tilted at will about the vertical position on bearings 17 and 21 so that record cards 34 in the pockets formed by separator cards 28, may be referred to 'or removed from the pockets. In this open position hooks 40 of swinging member 38 engage wires 41 at the bearings 42 and" hold the hinged end walls 35in inclined position so as to limit the tilting of the hinge frames 25. When it is desired to close the file, the hinged end walls 35 are moved upwardly into verticalposition, which causes the cam surface 55 on' catch 50 rigidly support the hinged end walls 35 in vertical or closed position. The entire filing device may now be carried from place to;

place by gripping the hand openings 46.

I would state in conclusion that while the embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself precisely to the details herein de scribed, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of'the invention as defined in the appended claims.

claim:

1. In a filing device, a tray having bottom and side members, end members pivoted at each end of said tray, a plurality of frame members pivotally mounted on said bottom member parallel to and between said end members, a swing member pivotally mounted on and extending across the ends of said side members at each end of said tray, bearing means on'said end members for slidably receiving portions of said swing member for limited movement, said swing members adapted to limit the pivotal movement of said end members and to cooperate therewith to limit the movement of the frame members between said end members, and a manually releasable catch mounted on each end member and adapted to engage said swing member at one end of its movement in said bearing means and lock both said end member and said swing member against pivotal movement. 7

2. In a filin device, a tray having bottom and side mem rs, end memberspivoted at each end of said tray, a plurality of frame members pivotally mounted on said bottom member parallel to and between said end members, a swing member pivotall mounted on and extending across the en s of said side members at each end of said tray bearing means on said end members for slidably receiving portions of said swin member for limited movement, said swing members ada ted to limit the pivotal movement of sai end members and to cooperate therewith to limit the movement of the frame members between said end members and a manually releasable catch pivotally mounted on' each end member and having a cam surface adapted to automatically engage said swin member at one end of its movement in said aring means, and lock both said end member and said swing member against pivotal movement.

3. In a filing device, a tray having a base and upstanding side members, end members pivotally connected to each end of said tray, a plurality of frame members pivotally mounted on said base parallel to said end members and extending therebetween, a swing member at each end of said tray, each swing member having hook portions pivotally connected to a respective end of each side member, bearing means on each end member for slidably receiving portions of its adjacent swing member, a shoulder portion on said bearing means engageable by its respective swinging member to limit the outward pivotal movement of said end member relative said tray, and means on each end member for automatically engaging said swing member to lock the same against movement when said end member is in a substantially tion relative said base; and

vertical position relative said base, said end members when locked being adapted to maintain said frame members against pivotal movement in a substantially vertical posimembers are pivoted to their outward positions, said frame members being adapted for limited pivotal movement therebetween.

4. In a filingdevice, and upstanding side members, end members pivotally connected to each end of said tray, a plurality of frame .members pivotally mounted on said base parallel to said end members, a swing member at each end of said tray, each swing member having hook portions pivotally connected to a respective end of each side member, bearing means on each end member for slidably receiving portions of its adj acent swing member, and catch means on each'end member adapted to engage its swing member to lock the same against movement when said end member is in a substantially vertical position to said base, said end members when locked being adapted to maintain said frame members against pivotal movement in a substantially vertical position relative to said base.

5. In a filing device, a tray having a base and upstanding when said end side walls, said side walls having a reinforcing rod along the free edges thereof, a bearing portion at each end of each side wall enclosed by said reinforcin rod an end member pivoted at each end 0% said tray, a swin member extending across each end of sai side walls and pivotally connected in said bearing portions, a slide bearing on each end member member, for limite movement therein, eac swin member being adapted to limit the pivota movement of the adjacent end member.

6. A filing device, comprising a tray having a bottom, upstanding side walls, and relatively lower u standing and walls, an end member hinge on each end wall, a plurality of record bearing frame members pivotally mounted on said bottom parallel to said end walls, a catch on each end member, means mounted across respective ends of said side walls each adapted to en e the catch on its adjacent end member to said end member in a predetermined position relative its respective end wall, both end members when locked maintainin said frame members within the confines 0 said tray in immovable position, both and members when their respective catches are released being pivotally movable to a position angular to and exterior of the confines of said tra I LE ROI E. HUTCIHN S.

a tray having a base 

